Glass front for searchlights



P. R. BASSETT. GLASS FRONT FOR SEARCHLIGHTS. APPLICATION FILED APILzo.IsIs.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE.

PRESTON R RAssETT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YoRxfAssIGNOR To THE SPERNY GYnO-SCOPE COMPANY, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORx.

emes FRONT FOR SRAROHLIGHTS.

To all whom. t may concern.'

Be it known that I, PRESTON R. BAssETT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at 1716 N ewkirk Avenue, Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and 'State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Glass Fronts for Searchlights, of which the following is.a specification.

This invention relates to glass fronts for.

searchlights The object is to provide a front capable of yielding todisturbing atmospherlc pressures Without breaking. At present greatdificulty is experienced in protecting the glass fronts of Vsearchlightsagainst breakage on warships or in forts where heavy gun firing istaking place.

VNumerous attempts have been made to overcome this objection, butwithout satisactory results, so that in order to prevent the breaking ofthe glass during heavy firit is necessary to dismantle the search- 1g tshutter over the outside of the glass to shield it from the disturbedatmosphere. This practice however, renders it impossible to use thesearchlights and big guns simultaneously on battleships or elsewhere.The present invention is designed toenable the glass to withstand theconcussion caused by the firing of the guns, so that the searchlights onwar ships and in forts may be kept constantly upon the target whendesired even during the moment of discharging the guns.

have found that Where the ordinary straight strips of glass 'are mountedin a circular-frame which is resiliently mounted on the drum of thesearchlight by a plurality of springs, the shock is not absorbed rapidlyenough to prevent the breaking of the glass; while, according to myinvention but one spring is sufiicient to' supply the necessaryresilienc and this spring may be made weak enoug to yield readily when asudden shock is applied to the glass, and yet strong` enough to returnland normally hold the glass in its proper place. Also the strips ofglass are much shorter when constructed in accordance with my inventionthan when made according to theexisting practice, so that each piece ismore rigid and ca able of withstanding a greater shock.`

eferring to the drawings wherein I have Specification of Letters Patent.

Application` illed April 20, 1918. Serial NO. 229,724.

by removing the front, or to `close a` Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

shown what I now consider to be the preferred form of my invention.

Flg. 1 is a front elevation of asearchlight embodying my invention. v

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on `line 2 2 of Fig. l. l

F1g..3 is a detail showing the manner of attachmg the glass to thesearchlight.

F1g.,4 is an additional detail thereof.

In the drawings the searchlight drum is shown at 1,`mounted on base 2 bymeans of uprlghts 3 and 'trunnions 4. The front 5 w h1ch comprises aplurality of sector sha ed pieces of glass 6, is shown as enga edadiacent to its periphery by rings, and 8 clamped together by bolts 9.The inner ring 8 may be secured to the drum, and as shown, forms thefront frame piece thereof.` Any suitable packing 10, (Fig. 3 may beprovided between the glass 5 an rings 7 and 8.

Through the center of the front of the searchlight is a tube 11 throughwhich the electrode 12 is inserted. The said tube may be supportedrigidly in this position by brackets 13 and 14, secured at 15 to thefront of the searchlight. Loosely mounted on tube 11 is a sleeve or hubmember 16"having annular projection 17 thereon.

A member 18 comprising two parts 19 and 20 fastened together'by screw21, may be clamped over the inner'end of each sector 6 of glass; packing10 being provided to prevent metallic contact with the glass. The

said members 18 are adapted to engage bei 16 normally in the centralizedposition shown in Fig. '2, so that all of the sectors 6 comprising theglass front will lie in the same plane.

It will be readily apparent that when the guns are discharging or shellsexploding, the sudden pressure of air against the glass will cause theglass to move against the pressure. of spring 24 which will absorb theshock.

It will also be apparent that the rings 7 and 8 and packings 10 embracethe sectors 6 of glass in such a manner as to readily permit the slightpivotal movement of the glass therein, while the packing 10 and 10' willact as a shock absorber as between the' glass and the metal so astofurther Vremove the daner of breakage.

It isl t e usual practice to provide search a lights with opaqueshutters to cut off the light when desirable. Where such shutters are.not adapted -to prevent leakage 'of light around the tube'll, separateAmeans may be provided for this purpose. In this connection I haveshowna shield 26 .attached to sleeve l16 and adapted to Acover theseveral members 18 to prevent leakage of li htthrough crackstherebetween.; Suita le' tube 11..,

packing 28 may be provided to prevent the passage of light betweensleeve 16 and In accordance with the provision of' the patent statutes,Iv have herein .described theprinciple of operation of my invention, to-

. thereof, but I desi-re to have it understood" gether with theapparatus, which I now con'- sider to represent the best vembodimentthat the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention-canbe carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use thevarious features'andelements in the combination and relations described,some of these may be alteredand others omitted without interfering withthe more general resultsfoutlined, and the inventionextends to such use.

Having described my invention what, claim and desire to secure by -1. Incombination, a searchlight drum, a front therefor comprising a pluralityof closely fitting sectors of glass having their,4

points cut voff so as' to form an opening through the center of saidlfront, a tube'protruding through said l openin'g lmeans for' securingsaid tulbe to said drum, a sleeve movably mounted on -said tube, meansfor resiliently connecting the edges of said sectors adjacent saidopening to said sleeve land a resilient connection between said tube andlsaid sleeve for holding all of said sectors normally. in the sameplane.

2. In combination, a searchlight drum, a 4frame adjacent the front endthereof, a relatively movable hub lmember. centrally positioned withrespect to said frame, a plurality of pieces of glass supported by-sa1dframe .and .said .member and resilient means. for holdingsaid member inplace.

3. In combination, a searchlight drum, an

annular frame attached thereto, a relatively movable hub membercentrally located with respect toI said frame, res1l1ent means forholdmg sald member in a predetermined position, a plurality of pieces ofglass supported by said frame and said hub -portion -andshock-absorbingmaterial between said said 5. In combination, a-searchlight drum, an'

annular member secured adjacent the'front end thereof, a member 11centrallylocated with respect to said annular memlber, means "forsupporting saidcentrally located memberA from said drum, a hubmember on`said central member, resilient means connecting 'saidhub to saidcentral member, and a pluralit of sector-shaped pieces of glass ex`tendlng between and supported by said annular member and saidhub'memiber.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature. e

' PRESTO-N R, BAS'SETT.

